The Mailbox | Extra letters to Sports Editor Ray Stein

Mr. Stein: Gary Williams did a great job for us; Maryland was his alma mater and he did win them a NCAA — something Thad Matta could not do when we had five guys that could score 20 points.

(Who could forget the UK debacle where no adjustments were made? Matta left a kid who was 1-for-21 from the floor in the game and did not play 6-foot-8, 240-pound Dallas Lauderdale when Jared Sullinger was getting mugged by 2 UK players.)

Ohio State’s program is in disarray, and Matta is the boss. The team has shown little heart or cohesion the last several years and an entire year’s class of signees is gone.

We should be thankful because at least they weren’t shooting at each other’s cars? When you perform like this you, you get fired. End of story.

It is unfortunate that Matta’s back pain may be a contributing factor to the current trend of OSU hoops.

Back problems are a serious health issue. Having said that, we should pay out Matta’s contract and pay for his insurance.

It would be helpful if OSU starts a concerted effort to recruit Ohio kids for these precious recruiting slots. OSU is a state institution that should be investing in Ohio kids.

This is something that Urban Meyer should reflect on. We are experiencing an unprecedented era of success on the gridiron under UM, but you can’t find Ohio kids with a search warrant. That leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

Kevin Dougherty, Charlotte, N.C.

Ray: If Gene Smith wanted to fire Thad Matta he would have done it at the end of the season and not allow Matta to collect his April 30 employment bonus. If Smith wanted to fire Matta he wouldn’t have chosen to honor the $10.5 million contract.

I think Thad Matta “fired” Thad Matta because of his health and recruiting issues. Why else would he participate in his “firing” announcement? If he retired or resigned OSU would not be obligated to the contract.

Matta fell on his sword for the sake of the OSU program, and you can’t get any more honorable than that!

Dan Klimovich, Circleville

Ray: Urban Meyer has a degree in psychology. OSU has now hired a basketball coach with a degree in psychology.

It must have benefited Meyer from the start because Bowling Green was coming off six losing seasons and a 2-9 season to beat Missouri in Urban’s first game as a head coach. We can only hope to see similar results this winter.

Dennis Singleton, Dayton

Ray: Thad Matta, a gentleman and fine basketball coach, is going to be paid $3 million dollars a year for the next three years to not coach the Ohio State men’s basketball team.

Chris Holtmann, by all accounts a gentleman and fine basketball coach, is going to be paid $3 million-plus a year for the next eight years to coach the Ohio State men’s basketball team.

So for the next 36 months, Ohio State will be shelling out roughly a half-million dollars a month to these two gentlemen to either coach or not coach the basketball team. Of course, the tab is considerably higher when you factor in all the assistant coaches salaries, but why quibble with non-success?

But this is all just background for my question: Since my first name is Thad, do you think the university might be willing to pay me, say, $50,000 a year for the next three years, to not attend graduate school there? (I have an undergraduate degree). Just wondering.

Thad Woodman, Westerville

Editor: The question posed (Mailbox, last Sunday) was, in essence, was Butler’s Chris Holtmann “the best Gene Smith could do?”

Smith apparently wanted Xavier’s Chris Mack but got turned down. Why? Xavier with Mack and, more important, the Big East, is now a destination job rather than a steppingstone. Butler, now also a member of the Big East, could soon follow.

The Big East is a basketball league, not second fiddle to football, has a long-term, big-bucks deal with Fox and rakes in tons more from March Madness.

It could be OSU got Holtmann at the right time or he might have become a long-term coach for the Bulldogs.

Jim Mengel, New Albany

Editor: Maybe the problem with the OSU coaches in not the coaches but with Gene Smith. Maybe he should come to an understanding with himself.

I think that Gene will and has lied to make himself look good yet hasn’t been called on it. Gene claims that he and the basketball coach (it’s against OSU policy to remember his name) came to an understanding about his time to leave, it was clear from the emotions that were tried to stay hidden that the understanding was one-sided.

Mr. Smith also said that it would take time to find a replacement he got his first rejection within a few days and an acceptance in about a week. This tells me that the list was ready for a long time and that Gene Smith is a liar.

I know that being a coach at any level is not guaranteed employment but the same standard should be applied to athletic directors. It’s time for Gene to come to an understanding.

Greg Thompson, Columbus

Ray: As I watched the Nashville Predators get hosed out of another critical playoff goal by an abysmal referee call, I was reminded of an almost identical call in the Penguins-Blue Jackets game I attended on Feb. 17 at Nationwide.

You may recall that was the game the Jackets took in overtime, by an (actual) score of 4-1. After a bit of digging, I was amused to learn that game was also refereed by Kevin Pollock. Is he Mike Lange’s cousin, perhaps? Maybe we could go in on a gift certificate for Lens Crafters.

Paul Hess, Columbus

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